95 research outputs found
Line formation in solar granulation: II. The photospheric Fe abundance
The solar photospheric Fe abundance has been determined using realistic ab
initio 3D, time-dependent, hydrodynamical model atmospheres. The study is based
on the excellent agreement between the predicted and observed line profiles
directly rather than equivalent width, since the intrinsic Doppler broadening
from the convective motions and oscillations provide the necessary non-thermal
broadening. Thus, three of the four hotly debated parameters (equivalent
widths, microturbulence and damping enhancement factors) in the center of the
recent solar Fe abundance dispute regarding FeI lines no longer enter the
analysis, leaving the transition probabilities as the main uncertainty. Both
FeI (using the samples of lines of both the Oxford and Kiel studies) and FeII
lines have been investigated, which give consistent results: log FeI = 7.44 +-
0.05 and log FeII = 7.45 +- 0.10. Also the wings of strong FeI lines return
consistent abundances, log FeII = 7.42 +- 0.03, but due to the uncertainties
inherent in analyses of strong lines we give this determination lower weight
than the results from weak and intermediate strong lines. In view of the recent
slight downward revision of the meteoritic Fe abundance log Fe = 7.46 +- 0.01,
the agreement between the meteoritic and photospheric values is very good, thus
appearingly settling the debate over the photospheric Fe abundance from FeI
lines.Comment: Accepted for A&
The effects of numerical resolution on hydrodynamical surface convection simulations and spectral line formation
The computationally demanding nature of radiative-hydrodynamical simulations
of stellar surface convection warrants an investigation of the sensitivity of
the convective structure and spectral synthesis to the numerical resolution and
dimension of the simulations, which is presented here. With too coarse a
resolution the predicted spectral lines tend to be too narrow, reflecting
insufficient Doppler broadening from the convective motions, while at the
currently highest affordable resolution the line shapes have converged
essentially perfectly to the observed profiles. Similar conclusions are drawn
from the line asymmetries and shifts. In terms of abundances, weak FeI and FeII
lines show a very small dependence (~0.02 dex) while for intermediate strong
lines with significant non-thermal broadening the sensitivity increases (~0.10
dex). Problems arise when using 2D convection simulations to describe an
inherent 3D phenomenon, which translates to inaccurate atmospheric velocity
fields and temperature and pressure structures. In 2D the theoretical line
profiles tend to be too shallow and broad compared with the 3D calculations and
observations, in particular for intermediate strong lines. In terms of
abundances, the 2D results are systematically about 0.1 dex lower than for the
3D case for FeI lines. Furthermore, the predicted line asymmetries and shifts
are much inferior in 2D. Given these shortcomings and computing time
considerations it is better to use 3D simulations of even modest resolution
than high-resolution 2D simulations.Comment: Accepted for A&
Line formation in solar granulation: I. Fe line shapes, shifts and asymmetries
Realistic ab-initio 3D, radiative-hydrodynamical convection simulations of
the solar granulation have been applied to FeI and FeII line formation. In
contrast to classical analyses based on hydrostatic 1D model atmospheres the
procedure contains no adjustable free parameters but the treatment of the
numerical viscosity in the construction of the 3D, time-dependent,
inhomogeneous model atmosphere and the elemental abundance in the 3D spectral
synthesis. However, the numerical viscosity is introduced purely for numerical
stability purposes and is determined from standard hydrodynamical test cases
with no adjustments allowed to improve the agreement with the observational
constraints from the solar granulation. The non-thermal line broadening is
mainly provided by the Doppler shifts arising from the convective flows in the
solar photosphere and the solar oscillations. The almost perfect agreement
between the predicted temporally and spatially averaged line profiles for weak
Fe lines with the observed profiles and the absence of trends in derived
abundances with line strengths, seem to imply that the micro- and
macroturbulence concepts are obsolete in these 3D analyses. Furthermore, the
theoretical line asymmetries and shifts show a very satisfactory agreement with
observations with an accuracy of typically 50-100 m/s on an absolute velocity
scale. The remaining minor discrepancies point to how the convection
simulations can be refined further.Comment: Accepted for A&
Magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in warped accretion discs
Warped, precessing accretion discs appear in a range of astrophysical
systems, for instance the X-ray binary Her X-1 and in the active nucleus of
NGC4258. In a warped accretion disc there are horizontal pressure gradients
that drive an epicyclic motion. We have studied the interaction of this
epicyclic motion with the magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in numerical
simulations. We find that the turbulent stress acting on the epicyclic motion
is comparable in size to the stress that drives the accretion, however an
important ingredient in the damping of the epicyclic motion is its parametric
decay into inertial waves.Comment: to appear in the proceedings of the 20th Texas Symposium on
Relativistic Astrophysics, J. C. Wheeler & H. Martel (eds.
Convective intensification of magnetic fields in the quiet Sun
Kilogauss-strength magnetic fields are often observed in intergranular lanes at the photosphere in the quiet Sun. Such fields are stronger than the equipartition field B_e, corresponding to a magnetic energy density that matches the kinetic energy density of photospheric convection, and comparable with the field B_p that exerts a magnetic pressure equal to the ambient gas pressure. We present an idealised numerical model of three-dimensional compressible magnetoconvection at the photosphere, for a range of values of the magnetic Reynolds number. In the absence of a magnetic field, the convection is highly supercritical and is characterised by a pattern of vigorous, time-dependent, “granular” motions. When a weak magnetic field is imposed upon the convection, magnetic flux is swept into the convective downflows where it forms localised concentrations. Unless this process is significantly inhibited by magnetic diffusion, the resulting fields are often much greater than B_e, and the high magnetic pressure in these flux elements leads to their being partially evacuated. Some of these flux elements contain ultra-intense magnetic fields that are significantly greater than B_p. Such fields are contained by a combination of the thermal pressure of the gas and the dynamic pressure of the convective motion, and they are constantly evolving. These ultra-intense fields develop owing to nonlinear interactions between magnetic fields and convection; they cannot be explained in terms of “convective collapse” within a thin flux tube that remains in overall pressure equilibrium with its surroundings
Local is not always better: the impact of climate information on values, behavior and policy support
In the current research, we experimentally examined the effect of providing local or global information about the impacts of climate change on individuals’ perceived importance of climate change and on their willingness to take action to address it, including policy support. We examined these relationships in the context of individuals’ general value orientations. Our findings, from 99 US residents, suggest that different kinds of climate information (local, global, or none) interact with values vis-à-vis our dependent variables. Specifically, while self-transcendent values predict perceived importance and pro-environmental behavior across all three information conditions, the effect on policy support is less clear. Furthermore, we detected a “reactance effect” where individuals with self-enhancing values who read local information thought that climate change was less important and were less willing to engage in pro-environmental behavior and support policy than self-enhancing individuals in the other information conditions. These results suggest that policy makers and public communicators may want to be cognizant of their audience’s general value orientation. Local information may not only be ineffective but may also prove counterproductive with individuals whose value orientations are more self-enhancing than self-transcendent
The price of tumor control: an analysis of rare side effects of anti-CTLA-4 therapy in metastatic melanoma from the ipilimumab network
Background: Ipilimumab, a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) blocking antibody, has been approved for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and induces adverse events (AE) in up to 64% of patients. Treatment algorithms for the management of common ipilimumab-induced AEs have lead to a reduction of morbidity, e.g. due to bowel perforations. However, the spectrum of less common AEs is expanding as ipilimumab is increasingly applied. Stringent recognition and management of AEs will reduce drug-induced morbidity and costs, and thus, positively impact the cost-benefit ratio of the drug. To facilitate timely identification and adequate management data on rare AEs were analyzed at 19 skin cancer centers.
Methods and Findings: Patient files (n = 752) were screened for rare ipilimumab-associated AEs. A total of 120 AEs, some of which were life-threatening or even fatal, were reported and summarized by organ system describing the most instructive cases in detail. Previously unreported AEs like drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), granulomatous inflammation of the central nervous system, and aseptic meningitis, were documented. Obstacles included patientś delay in reporting symptoms and the differentiation of steroid-induced from ipilimumab-induced AEs under steroid treatment. Importantly, response rate was high in this patient population with tumor regression in 30.9% and a tumor control rate of 61.8% in stage IV melanoma patients despite the fact that some patients received only two of four recommended ipilimumab infusions. This suggests that ipilimumab-induced antitumor responses can have an early onset and that severe autoimmune reactions may reflect overtreatment.
Conclusion: The wide spectrum of ipilimumab-induced AEs demands doctor and patient awareness to reduce morbidity and treatment costs and true ipilimumab success is dictated by both objective tumor responses and controlling severe side effects
Asteroseismology and Interferometry
Asteroseismology provides us with a unique opportunity to improve our
understanding of stellar structure and evolution. Recent developments,
including the first systematic studies of solar-like pulsators, have boosted
the impact of this field of research within Astrophysics and have led to a
significant increase in the size of the research community. In the present
paper we start by reviewing the basic observational and theoretical properties
of classical and solar-like pulsators and present results from some of the most
recent and outstanding studies of these stars. We centre our review on those
classes of pulsators for which interferometric studies are expected to provide
a significant input. We discuss current limitations to asteroseismic studies,
including difficulties in mode identification and in the accurate determination
of global parameters of pulsating stars, and, after a brief review of those
aspects of interferometry that are most relevant in this context, anticipate
how interferometric observations may contribute to overcome these limitations.
Moreover, we present results of recent pilot studies of pulsating stars
involving both asteroseismic and interferometric constraints and look into the
future, summarizing ongoing efforts concerning the development of future
instruments and satellite missions which are expected to have an impact in this
field of research.Comment: Version as published in The Astronomy and Astrophysics Review, Volume
14, Issue 3-4, pp. 217-36
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